Jenna Ortega In Talks to Star in Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice” Sequel

Posted on March 10, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Jenna Ortega could be juicing for her next role…

20-year-old Puerto Rican and Mexican American Golden Globe-nominated actress and Wednesday star may be reuniting with Tim Burton on his next project as Hollywood insiders report Ortega is in early talks to reunite with the Wednesday creator on Beetlejuice 2 at Warner Bros.

Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder are reportedly expected to reprise their roles with Burton directing.

Production is expected to start in late May or early June in London, but the film’s budget hasn’t been set, resulting in some back and forth.

If a deal is made, sources say Ortega would play the daughter of Lydia, the character played by Ryder in the Burton-helmed original.

Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Jeffrey Jones and Catherine O’Hara also starred in the original film, which grossed $80 million on a $15 million budget. It also scored a Best Makeup Oscar at the 1989 Academy Awards.

Ortega has been on a roll as of late, led by her record-breaking Addams Family series Wednesday. The show has smashed Netflix viewing records and has been renewed for a second season. She’s hosting Saturday Night Live on March 11 and is appearing on in Scream VI.

Paul Rodriguez Appearing in Netflix’s “Dirty Daddy: A Tribute to Bob Saget” Special

Posted on June 8, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Paul Rodriguez is paying tribute to America’s dad…

The 67-year-old Mexican-American actor and stand-up comedian will appear in Netflix’s Dirty Daddy: A Tribute to Bob Saget, a special that celebrates his life and legacy.

The new Netflix special arrives five months after the comedy world lost the Full House star and stand up comedian.

“Bob wasn’t something that was taken away from us — he was something that was given to us,” says the trailer for the special.

The special will launch on Friday, June 10, on the streamer.

Saget died January 9 in an Orlando hotel room not long after a stand-up performance. His death at 65 rocked Hollywood and led to an outpouring of tributes, along with the farewell show at the Comedy Store in West Hollywood where Dirty Daddy was filmed.

In addition to Rodriguez, those taking part are Saget’s former Full House co-stars John Stamos and Dave Coulier, along with Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle, Jim Carrey, Michael Keaton, Tim Allen, Jeff Ross, Darren Criss, Jon Lovitz, John Mayer, Mike Binder, Jackson Browne, Seth Green, Mike Young and Candace Cameron Bure.

His widow Kelly Rizzo-Saget and their daughters Lara and Aubrey Saget also are set.

In the trailer, Rizzo-Saget steps to the stage and says, “The most important thing to him was belonging to this club, to this group, to being a comedian.” Carrey adds: “You created a cathedral of f*cking love, Bob Saget.”

As also noted in the trailer, everyone deserves a friend like Bob.

Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer Returning to Broadway’s “Beetlejuice” This Spring

Posted on February 10, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer is juiced for her next role…

The 44-year-old half-Puerto Rican musical theater actress/singer will be back on stage in Broadway’s Beetlejuice when it returns this spring.

Rodriguez Kritzer, who originated the roles of Delia/Miss Argentina, will be joined by much of the cast that was in place before the March 2020 pandemic shutdown.

Joining the previously announced Alex Brightman in the title role and Rodriguez Kritzer will be fellow returnees Kerry Butler, David Josefsberg, Adam Dannheisser, Kelvin Moon Loh, Danny Rutigliano and Dana Steingold.

New to the production will be Elizabeth Teeter as Lydia Deetz, Michelle Aravena as Miss Argentina and Zonya Love as Maxine Dean/Juno.

The musical begins performances at Broadway’s Marquis Theatre on Friday, April 8.

Aravena has appeared on Broadway in A Bronx Tale, Rocky, Jersey Boys and A Chorus Line.

The full cast of Beetlejuice also includes Kate Bailey, Will Blum, Ryan Breslin, Natalie Charle Ellis, Brooke Engen, Eric Anthony Johnson, Andrew Kober, Elliott Mattox, Mateo Melendez, Ramone Owens, Commodore C. Primous III, Nevada Riley and Graham Stevens.

Based on the 1988 film starring Michael Keaton, the musical tells the story of Lydia Deetz, an offbeat teenager whose life changes when her family moves into a home inhabited by a recently deceased couple and the green-tinted-haired demon Beetlejuice. The musical features an original score by Eddie Perfect, and a book by Scott Brown and Anthony King, with choreography by Connor Gallagher.

Beetlejuice originally opened at Broadway’s Winter Garden Theatre on Thursday, April 25, 2019, and closed along with the rest of Broadway in March 2020 due to the pandemic shutdown.

The Music Man currently occupies the Winter Garden, necessitating Beetlejuice‘s change of venue.

Javier Bardem to Receive Maltin Modern Master Award at This Year’s Santa Barbara Film Festival

Posted on January 24, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Javier Bardem is officially a master…

The 52-year-old Spanish Oscar-winning actor will be honored with the prestigious Maltin Modern Master Award at the 37th annual edition of the Santa Barbara Film Festival.

Bardem will be feted alongside his Being the Ricardos co-star Nicole Kidman on Thursday, March 10 when they’ll engage with veteran film historian and critic Leonard Maltin for an in-person conversation about their careers leading up to this year’s performances as Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball in Aaron Sorkin’s acclaimed film from Amazon Studios.

Bardem and Kidman recently received individual SAG Award nominations in the lead actor and actress categories.

Bardem and Kidman, who have never before worked together, previously won Oscars for No Country for Old Men (2007) and The Hours (2002), respectively. Each has a long career of acclaimed performances.

“Nicole Kidman continues to challenge and reinvent herself year after year. Javier Bardem’s talent is a gift to the world. Only in Hollywood could these actors find themselves playing America’s all time favorite TV couple. It’s cause for celebration,” Maltin said.

Santa Barbara International Film Festival

The Modern Master Award was established in 1995 and is the highest accolade presented by SBIFF. Created to honor an individual who has enriched our culture through accomplishments in the motion picture industry, it was re-named the Maltin Modern Master Award in 2015 in honor of longtime SBIFF moderator and renowned film critic Leonard Maltin.

Past recipients include Bill Murray, Brad Pitt, Glenn Close, Denzel Washington, Michael Keaton, Bruce Dern, Ben Affleck, Christopher Plummer, Christopher Nolan, James Cameron, Clint Eastwood, Cate Blanchett, Will Smith, George Clooney and Peter Jackson.

This is the first time a pair of actors will be honored together.

Other Santa Barbara tributes previously announced include Benedict Cumberbatch with the Vanguard Award, King Richard stars Will Smith and Aunjanue Ellis for Outstanding Performers of the Year, Kristen Stewart for the American Riviera Award, and collectively named for Virtuoso Awards are West Side Story’s Ariana DeBose, CODA actors Emilia Jones and Troy Kotsur, Red Rocket’s Simon Rex, Licorice Pizza’s Alana Haim, and Saniyya Sidney from King Richard.

The 37th Santa Barbara Film Festival is set to take place in-person March 2-12. Official events including screenings, filmmaker Q&As, industry panels and celebrity tributes will be held throughout the city including at the historic Arlington Theatre.

Leslie Grace Shares First Look at Her “Batgirl” Costume

Posted on January 16, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Leslie Grace is up to bat(girl)…

The 27-year-old Dominican American actress/singer has given fans a first look at her costume for the upcoming Batgirl film, which is expected to debut on HBO Max at some point this year.

“I use their expectations against them,” Grace captioned the Instagram image. “That will be their weakness. Not mine. Let them all underestimate me…And when their guard is down, and their pride is rising, let me kick their butts.”
– Batgirl, Year One

The film, directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, stars Grace as Barbara Gordon.

J.K. Simmons, Brendan Fraser and Michael Keaton are also on board.

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A post shared by Leslie Grace (@lesliegrace)

The studio was already super high on Grace following her breakout role in In the Heights, and sources say her audition sealed the deal as the choice.

When the film debuts on HBO Max, it will mark one of the first major DC properties to debut exclusively on the streamer.

Maribel Verdú to Star as Ezra Miller’s Mom in Warner Bros. Standalone “The Flash” Film

Posted on March 13, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Maribel Verdú has landed the mother of a role…

The 50-year-old Spanish actress will star in Warner Bros.’ The Flash film.

Verdú, best known for her roles in Y Tu Mama Tambien and Pan’s Labyrinth, will portray Barry Allen’s mother in the upcoming Warner Bros. DC standalone movie.

Billy Crudup, due to a schedule conflict on the second season of Apple’s The Morning Show, won’t be reprising his role as Flash’s father.

Ezra Miller will be playing Allen/The Flash again. Cameras will roll in the spring to summer in London.

Andy Muschietti is directing off a screenplay written by Christina Hodson.

While the plot is under wraps, The Flash reportedly involves alternate dimensions with Allen trying to save his mother from being murdered. Also making cameos are alternate dimension Batmans, Michael Keaton from the 1980s Warner Bros. films and Ben Affleck from the millennium ones.

Rosario Dawson to Star in Hulu’s Limited Series “Dopesick”

Posted on October 21, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a dope time for Rosario Dawson…

The 41-year-old Puerto Rican and Cuban American actress and activist has been cast as a series regular on Dopesick, Hulu’s eight-episode limited series based on Beth Macy’s best-selling book.

Written by Danny Strong and directed by Barry Levinson, Dopesick is described as an ambitious, harrowing and compelling look into the epicenter of America’s struggle with opioid addiction. It takes viewers from a distressed Virginia mining community to the hallways of the DEA and the opulence of “one percenter” Big Pharma Manhattan. The unsparing yet deeply human portraits of the various affected families and their intersecting stories hold up a mirror to where America is right now, while shining a hopeful light on the heroes battling the worst drug epidemic in American history.

Dawson will play Bridget Meyer, a tough DEA agent who fights to curtail the use of OxyContin.

She joins previously announced Michael Keaton, Peter Sarsgaard, Kaitlyn Dever, Will Poulter, John Hoogenakker, Philippa Soo and Jake McDorman.

The project hails from The Handmaid’s Tale executive producer Warren Littlefield and Touchstone Television.

Dawson most recently fronted the drama series Briarpatch, which aired for one season on USA Network. She also stars in the HBO Max/DC Comics pilot DMZ, which is being directed and EP’ed by Ava DuVernay and showrunner/writer Roberto Patino.

And she’ll soon appear on season two of Disney+’s The Mandalorian.

Rita Moreno Dons ‘Vote’ Mask as Part of When We All Vote’s New ‘Get Out The Vote’ Campaign

Posted on September 4, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Rita Moreno isn’t masking her feelings about the importance of voting this year…

With the November election right around the corner, the 88-year-old Puerto Rican Oscar-winning actress and Latina icon is encouraging people to do their civic duty without uttering a single word.

Moreno is taking part in When We All Vote’s new campaign.

Director and producer Allen Hughes has brought together a wide range of artists, athletes, industry leaders, and notable community members wearing a “VOTE” face covering to inspire maximum voter participation.

Those taking part in this year’s mask campaign include Tony Bennett, Dr. Dre, Robert De Niro, Larry David, Megan Rapinoe, Sean Penn, David Crosby, Snoop Dogg, Diane von Furstenberg, Padma Lakshmi, Sterling K Brown, Tyler Oakley, Kevin Love, Ron Howard, Judd Apatow, Lindsey Vonn, Michael Keaton, Bryan Cranston, Sandra Oh, Steve Buscemi, Pamela Adlon, Christopher Poindexter, Rita Moreno, Iliza Shlesinger, and Deepak Chopra, along with healthcare worker Cady Chaplin.

“This is clearly an existential election year, and it’s critical that every eligible voter in every community engage in this election,” Hughes says. “The very soul of our nation is on the ballot November 3rd, 2020.”

Launched in 2018 by co-chairs Michelle Obama, Tom Hanks, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Janelle Monae, Chris Paul, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, When We All Vote uses a data-driven approach to increase participation in elections. The group focuseson increasing participation in every election while closing the race and age voting gap. The goal is to change the culture around voting, harnessing grassroots energy, and through strategic partnerships to reach every American.

In addition, Michelle Obama has added Selena Gomez, Liza Koshy, Megan Rapinoe, Shonda Rhimes, Tracee Ellis Ross, Kerry Washington, and Rita Wilson to this year’s co-chair list.

For more information on the organization and its new campaign, visit whenweallvote.org.

Aimee Garcia to Star In & Executive Produce the Rom-Com “Match Me If You Can”

Posted on July 9, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Aimee Garcia has met her match…

The 41-year-old Puerto Rican and Mexican American actress and Lucifer star will executive produce and star in Match Me If You Can, a romantic comedy about the world of dating in today’s geek culture.

Marian Yeager is directing the film from a script by Betsy Morris.

Garcia, who’ll reprise her role as Ella Lopez in the sixth and final season of Netflix’s Lucifer, will play Kip Parsons, a talented computer nerd who is rejected by an online dating service as “unmatchable.” After her online blog about her humiliating status goes viral, Kip quickly becomes the reluctant spokesperson for all the frustrated singles out there. There’s just one problem: the dating service swears they didn’t reject her and she becomes the target of a kangaroo court.

Production is slated to commence Spring 2021 in Texas.

Garcia, who can be heard in the forthcoming Marvel M.O.D.O.K. animated series at Hulu, has previously appeared in Showtime’s Dexter, The George Lopez Show, RoboCop, opposite Gary Oldman and Michael Keaton, Lorenzo DiBonaventura’s superhero movie El Chicano, and MGM’s The Addams Family with Charlize Theron and Oscar Isaac.

Mateo Melendez to Star in Broadway’s “Beetlejuice” Musical

Posted on February 9, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

Mateo Melendez is juicin’up for Broadway…

The Latino actor has been added to the cast of Broadway’s Beetlejuice when the new musical begins previews next month.

Melendez will star alongside last fall’s pre-Broadway cast members Jill Abramovitz, Kelvin Moon Loh, Danny Rutigliano and Dana Steingold.

Other cast members include Alex Brightman(in the title role), Sophia Anne Caruso, Kerry Butler, Rob McClure, Adam Dannheisserand Leslie Kritzer.

Rounding out the 25-member cast include Tessa Alves, Gilbert L. Bailey II, Will Blum, Johnny Brantley III, Ryan Breslin, Natalie Charle Ellis, Brooke Engen, Abe Goldfarb, Eric Anthony Johnson, Elliott Mattox, Sean Montgomery, Ramone Owens, Presley Ryanand Kim Sava.

Beetlejuice starts previews Thursday, March 28 at the Winter Garden Theatre. Opening night is April 25.

Beetlejuice, based on Tim Burton’s 1988 film starring Michael Keaton, is directed by Alex Timbers, with an original score by Eddie Perfect, book by Scott Brown& Anthony King, and choreography by Connor Gallagher.

Other credits for the Broadway production include David Korins (scenic design), William Ivey Long (costume design), Kenneth Posner (lighting), Peter Hylenski (sound), Peter Nigrini (projections), Michael Curry(puppet design), Jeremy Chernick(special effects) and Michael Weber(illusions).

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